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Weekend Homicide, Slashing Under Investigation
Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested
William Usilton III.jpg
William Usilton III was booked on suspicion of murder in connection with the shooting death of Cody Sorenson on Sunday morning, Feb. 10.

The investigation continues in an early morning homicide on Sunday and a late night machete slashing, also on Sunday, while a bank robbery suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a third incident.

An early morning argument Sunday, Feb. 10 ended in the shooting death of a 25-year-old man, with a 27-year-old man taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

The victim was identified by the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office as Cody Sorensen, 25, and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident, at the Bonnie Villa Apartments at 333 Poplar St., Oakdale.

William Beck Usilton III, 27, was arrested on suspicion of murder and booked at the Stanislaus County Jail without bail. A court date had not been set as of The Leader’s press time on Tuesday.

Oakdale Police said on Sunday morning, Feb. 10 just before 2:30 a.m., the department’s Communications Center received a 911 call reporting that a male subject had been shot at the apartment complex. Police and paramedics responded to the complex and said the victim was found with a fatal gunshot wound.

Usilton was contacted at the apartment and identified by witnesses as the shooter and taken into custody. The weapon was recovered but authorities did not say what type of weapon was used or what the argument was about. The investigation is continuing.

Meanwhile, a man was taken into custody Monday morning in Knights Ferry, accused in the slashing of a victim in that rural community late Sunday night, using a machete. Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputies reported the arrest of Kody Levi Ingram, 28, of Jamestown on Feb. 11, several hours after the incident, which occurred about 10:40 p.m. Sunday.

Deputies received a tip that Ingram was in the area of Sonora and Kennedy roads on Monday and were able to take him into custody without incident. According to authorities, he slashed a 45-year-old male victim during a confrontation in the area of Ellen Street and Sonora Road on Sunday night. The incident report from the sheriff’s department indicated that the victim and his girlfriend had left a restaurant in the area and they and the suspect got involved in an altercation. Authorities said the male victim and the female were intoxicated and uncooperative regarding the details of what happened. The victim was struck in the arm with the machete, authorities said, resulting in a deep laceration.

Ingram was booked at county jail on $50,000 bail for assault with a deadly weapon and booked on no bail for a parole violation; his court date was also pending.

Also, in an update of a case from Feb. 7, El Cerrito Police made a traffic stop that resulted in the apprehension of an Oakdale bank robbery suspect. On Feb. 12, California Parole Agents booked 30-year-old Michael Anthony Ruelas for the Feb. 7 robbery of the Valley First Credit Union in Oakdale after El Cerrito Police arrested Ruelas for the robbery during a traffic stop. Oakdale Police Investigators are following up and continuing the investigation. Ruelas is in custody at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center for First Degree Robbery, 212.5(A) P.C. with a bail of $100,000 and is also being held on a parole violation with no bail.

Ruelas, a wanted parolee, is suspected of robbing the credit union early afternoon Thursday, Feb. 7 and then fleeing the scene on foot. His description and that of the vehicle associated with him was released and he was taken into custody on Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Kody Ingram.jpg
Booked at Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Kody Ingram is accused of slashing a man with a machete Sunday night, Feb. 10 in Knights Ferry.
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A traffic stop has resulted in the arrest of Michael Ruelas, accused in a bank robbery in Oakdale on Thursday, Feb. 7.